Pro-abortion group fears Salmond will tighten laws

Published on Saturday 20 October 2007 00:55

A NEW Scottish "pro-choice" movement will be launched next week amid accusations that First Minister Alex Salmond is "playing politics with women's bodies" over abortion.

The Scotsman can reveal that MSPs will be targeted in a protest outside the Scottish Parliament next week by members of the new Women's Abortion Rights (WAR) Scotland campaign.

The move is a direct response to Mr Salmond's recent comments on the issue, and his personal support for a reduction in the abortion time limit to 20 weeks.

The First Minister also said that a "national conversation" about Scotland's constitutional future should include a review of the law on terminations, an issue currently reserved to Westminster. Women's rights groups fear that the First Minister has signalled a move that will result in far more restrictive rules surrounding abortion in Scotland.

Naomi McAuliffe, a campaigner, said: "What we are asking Alex Salmond is to consider women's rights when he talks about abortion. In everything he has said on this issue, women have been ignored.

"The alternative to termination is to force a woman through an unwanted pregnancy and we consider that an act of violence. The women who have late terminations do so for very serious reasons and are likely to be among the most vulnerable women in our society. Let's not abuse them further."

WAR co-founder Jacq Kelly claimed that Mr Salmond was "playing politics with women's bodies".

She said: "We believe that the reason for making abortion a devolved issue is to further restrict women's access to terminations as demanded by interested groups such as the Catholic Church. This isn't about medical advances, it's about women's access to healthcare."

WAR Scotland, which includes Scottish Women's Aid, Engender, Zero Tolerance, and NUS Scotland, will begin their campaign with a protest outside Holyrood on Thursday.

A spokeswoman for the First Minister yesterday rejected the "playing politics" claim, saying: "The First Minister believes the issue of abortion should be kept well away from party politics and indeed party instruction.

"And he has no interest in such a sensitive issue becoming an arm wrestle between Holyrood and Westminster."